I
was very disappointed that our Board of Trustees did not offer President
Dye a more competitive offer to keep her here for ten more years.
The emoluments of many college presidents are more lucrative than
Dye's.

I trust implicitly the Trustees' unanimous assessment that the College
will save a lot of money if they can keep Dye, a known quantity,
here for six or more years rather than having to get a new president,
an unknown quantity.

In addition to the two-page, compelling case the Trustees presented
to our community explaining their ardent desire to retain Dye, I
share with you the fact that President Dye's commitment to help
raise academic standards in our local schools is superbly unparalleled.
For example, she worked with the Trustees to offer a plan by which
all Oberlin High children meeting certain criteria can get a tuition-free
education at Oberlin College. Very few colleges have done anything
like this.

She has been one of WAVE's (Words Are Very Empowering) staunchest
supporters. This is a program designed to offer children all the
academic help they need from kindergarten to the high-school level
on a 24/7/365 basis so that they may qualify to attend Oberlin College
one day. No other college in America offers so much free help to
children.

The College set as a goal back in 1972 to try to enroll 100 black
students in each entering class. Under no president has this goal
been reached, but Nancy Dye remains ever committed to this goal
and to doing more than any other president in pursuit of it.

For the future, I definitely expect her to make every effort to
see that workers do not have to strike to get fair wages, that medical
costs will not be unfairly borne by the College's employees, that
strife and division will be at a minimum at Oberlin, etc.
I am impressed by her instantaneous and sustained likeability, affability,
and compatibility. As our first female president, Dye is unusually
perceptive, thoughtful, and caring.

Indeed, I am very biased in favor of President Dye because of her
outstanding efforts to help all children in our local schools, much
as I am biased toward all those who go into teaching or who make
other contributions to improve education.

The Trustees are unified in their belief that Dye is their "man"
for the next ten years. And no one has a greater interest in and
cares more about the long-term interest of the College than our
Trustees, even though Trustees are faillible.

For all presidents, leaders, etc., often the most important factors
are the intangibles, those instinctive characteristics that are
simply not easily quantifiable, but which are absolutely essential
ingredients for a successful presidency. I submit that President
Dye is gifted with perspicacity, people skills, energy, sensitivity,
a sense of justice, fairness, etc.

President Dye loves her job and I believe she has no plans to leave.
Most are hopeful that she will stay because of the faith the Board
has in her and because everyone wants to work with her to achieve
the greatness of which Oberlin is capable and deserves.